Why Israel has no constitution
In accordance with its Declaration of Independence of May 14, 1948, Israel should have had a constitution by October 1948. However, there were various reasons why the formulation of a constitution, so soon after the establishment of the state, was impossible. These included the feeling that, since the majority of the Jewish people were not yet living in the state, and since Israeli society was bound to undergo major changes in a relatively short time, it would be wrong to tie the country to a particular constitution. In addition, the religious parties found it difficult to accept a secular document as being superior to Halacha, Jewish religious law.

Basic laws on the way to a constitution
In June 1950 it was decided that, rather than try to grapple with a constitution, the Knesset should start legislating Basic Laws; each dealing with the state's various institutions and its citizens' rights. Once all the Basic Laws would be passed, they would together constitute a constitution. Some of the Basic Laws were brought to the Knesset as government bills, others were brought by a Knesset committee or as private members' bills. By the beginning of 1999 the following Basic Laws had been passed: